Stressed
by RobinxRaven writer
Summary: Robin is left to brood over things when Raven departs to Titans East to heal Speedy after he receives a critical injury.


Raven, Cyborg, and Robin sat in the peaceful silence of the common room, each engrossed in various activities when the TV starting ringing, and the words _TITANS EAST_ appeared. Robin stood up and answered the call, and Bumblebee's face appeared. "Yo, Bee. How ya been?" Cyborg asked. "Long time no see."

"Been doing well sparky, how about yourself?" Bumblebee asked.

"I've been fine, and _don't_ call me sparky." Cyborg retorted, crossing his arms over his chest.

"What's up?" Robin cut them off before they could get into an argument. "You never call unless it's an emergency." At that, Bumblebee frowned and looked down at the ground. "Oh no; has something happened?" Robin asked, concern creeping into his voice.

"Yeah, well…" Bumblebee scratched the back of her head. "We kinda got into a fight with this guy, calls himself Bomberman-" She held her hands up when the others started pestering her with questions, "Woah, chill! We managed to stop him, but one of his last bombs blew up in the construction site where we were doing battle, and… well, Speedy broke his leg when girders rained down on him."

Everyone gasped. "Is he okay?" Cyborg asked.

"He'll be fine once you send Raven our way." Bumblebee pointed a finger at the girl. "We were hoping she could get the recovery process over with so we didn't have to deal with Speedy's moaning and whining anymore."

"No way!"

Raven and Cyborg turned to look at Robin, who'd spoken up before they could even form their own thoughts. They then turned to look at each other, and a look of confusion passed between the two. When they looked back at Robin, he seemed frozen in place, as though even he couldn't believe what he'd said.

"Uh… why not?" Bumblebee asked.

"Because…" Robin started off hesitantly, "It'll be a good learning experience for him. Being out of the fight for so long will help appreciate his mistakes!"

"Dude, your a terrible liar." Cyborg said. "C'mon, what's the real reason she can't go?" He grinned and gave Robin a knowing look, who returned it with a pointed glare. Raven suddenly felt like she was on the outside of an inside joke.

"Robin." The boy wonder turned to look at Raven when she said his name. "What's wrong?"

"He doesn't need his feet to fire a bow." He said indignantly.

At that, Bumblebee laughed out loud. "C'mon, she'll only be gone for a few days. I promise," She held up her right hand in the air, "We won't try and convince her to stay like we did sparky."

"That's not what I'm worried about." Robin said, turning back to Bumblebee.

It was true. Raven could feel a whirlwind of emotions coming off him; fear, sadness, confusion, anger at the confusion, confusion at the anger at the initial confusion… but even though she could sense all of those emotions scattering his mind, Raven couldn't identify what it was exactly that was causing them. Surely, the idea of her travelling to Titan's East didn't upset him that much. Before, she'd traveled all over the world and to different dimensions on his orders, and the Titans as a whole had all been separated for much longer periods of time fighting the Brotherhood of Evil.

"Then what is it?" Raven asked, stepping forward. Beating around the bush wasn't going to answer the question for any of them.

Robin hunched his shoulders. Raven felt doubt, and a different kind of fear, before pride flared in him. There was pause before he said, "Nothing. I'll see you when you get back." And then he walked out of the room.

Before Raven could even consider going after him, Bumblebee spoke up. "Great! Now that that's settled, we'll see you when you get here." Raven looked up at the TV. "How long till then?"

Raven pondered the question. "Maybe two days. I'll need to stay there for another few; healing a major injury like that is going take some time." She turned to Cyborg. "So, about seven days round trip?"

Cyborg nodded. "You can take the T-Car; I know how much you prefer to be alone, and sitting on a crowded airplane won't agree with you. Especially not when you're going to have to deal with Mas y Menos while you're there."

Raven nodded and gave Cyborg and appreciative smile. She was the only one who was allowed to drive the T-Car; after they'd spent so much time working together on it, and gotten Raven her license, Cyborg had deemed her trustworthy enough to drive it on her own. Even if he still gave her a warning anytime she got behind the wheel.

"I speak for _all_ of Titans East when I say that we appreciate this." Her transmission cut off, and the TV once again turned black.

"Well, I suppose I'd better start packing."

~Stressed~

Robin paced the length of his room, hands folded over his chest and fingers tapping his upper arm. He was scowling, eyes narrowed as he walked up to the window and turned around, walking to the opposite wall. When he reached it, he turned around and started pacing back to his window. There _was_ a reason he didn't want Raven to go the opposite side of the country. And the more he thought about it the more upset he got.

Speedy was a notorious womanizer. Not just that, in several conversations via communicator, meetings, and quarterly reports, he'd expressed an interest in Raven (through no subtle use of certain choice words and suggestive actions). The idea of Raven being left alone in the same room as Speedy for even a minute left a sour taste in his mouth and a flair in his temper.

There was a knock at his door, and it distracted Robin enough for him to bump his right leg on the edge of his bed as he walked by it. Cursing, he rubbed it with his hand before he went over to the door and opened it. "Raven?" He asked when he saw her standing there, a small travelling suitcase in her hand.

"I just wanted to tell you that I was going." She said in a plain voice. They stood apart, eyes locked as a silence briefly settled between them. It was broken when she started talking again. "I'll be back in a few days." He just nodded. Raven frowned and pursed her lips. She wanted to ask exactly what it was that was bothering him, but she wasn't sure how to go about it. She'd never seen him act like this, at least not over something so trivial. And considering how he'd just walked off when they tried to confront him, she wasn't sure whether or not trying again would even yield results.

Raven sighed, then turned on her heel and started heading down the hall.

"Raven!" She turned around. Robin's arm was extended, his hand partially reaching out towards her, stopping just shy of her cloak. "... Come back as soon as possible." She didn't know whether that was an order or a plea. The words were spoken with such resolution and strength, but his voice was quiet and he looked almost desperate.

"I will." He didn't look convinced. "I promise."

At that, Robin nodded and went back into his room.

~Stressed~

"How much longer?"

"She's been gone literally 45 minutes." Beastboy responded as he set his soda can on the coffee table. "Chillaaaax, man." He grabbed a controller and handed it to Robin. "Let's play some Mega Monkey's 5." The game started up, and the two began mashing buttons in an attempt to get the high score.

~Stressed~

"How much longer?"

"She left _yesterday_!" Cyborg half cried, half laughed. "If you're that worried, why don't you call her? She took the car."

"You let her take the T-Car?" Robin asked, surprised and momentarily forgetting about his fear. "Why?"

"Because I trust her." Cyborg responded simply. "Like you should. And if you don't trust her because of some stupid rivalry with Speedy, then call her." He asked again.

"I don't have a rivalry with Speedy! Besides, I can't call her. She's driving, that's dangerous." Robin muttered the last part. "C'mon, it's almost time for combat practice." The two stood up and headed to the gym, calling out for Beastboy and Starfire.

~Stressed~

Robin's communicator started chirping, and he groaned as he picked it up and opened it. "Umf, unh… Hello?" He asked groggily, looking over at his clock. It was barely 3 in the morning.

"Hey Robin."

"Raven!" Robin sat up, almost instantly awake. "What's wrong? Are you okay? Hold on, I'm on my way!" Robin had jumped out of bed and was dressed in his uniform in .013 seconds. "Cyborg! Prep the T-Sh-" He opened his bedroom door and was halfway out of it when his communicator chirped again.

"Calm down." Raven said. "I just called to tell you that I've arrived." There was a pause, and Raven looked away in the video. "Truthfully, I liked the sun rising behind the skyline of Jump City rather than over the polluted ocean by Steel City." Her voice sounded almost wistful.

Oh. He'd forgotten about the time difference. The sun would be rising on the other side of the country by now. "Well, hurry back and we can watch it together." She looked back at him in the communicator, and the sunlight illuminated her face in a way that made his heart skip a beat.

"Sure." Then the communicator chirped a final time and her face disappeared.

Robin ended up staying up until the sunrise anyways, and as the sun rose behind Jump City's buildings he realized that this was one of the few times Raven was wrong. It didn't make a difference where the sun rose up from. He'd be willing to watch the sunrise over a marred wasteland as long as she was standing beside him.

~Stressed~

"Dude, she'll back in a few days." Beastboy watched as Robin paced back and forth in front of the window. "Quit worrying so much; Bumblebee even promised they wouldn't take her into combat!" Robin ignored him and continued to walk back and forth. "Come on man, you're distracting me from watching TV!"

"How can you watch TV when Raven's on the other side of the country, spending hours a day alone with Speedy?!" Robin cried out.

"Easy. Like this." Beastboy picked up the remote and turned pointed it at the TV, then pressed the volume so it was blasting at max. Robin threw his head up in annoyance, walking out of the room.

"He is just upset because Raven is the _apple of his eye_ , yes?" Starfire turned to Cyborg. "I used that expression correctly?"

Cyborg nodded. "You did, and you're right." The duo watched as the doors closed behind Robin. "He just doesn't realize it yet."

"Then we should give him the push!" Starfire exclaimed, grabbing the remote out of Beastboy's hands and turning the volume down to a reasonable. "Come friends, let us make the plans!"

~Stressed~

The next day, Robin was sitting at the counter, drinking soda and reading the newspaper. Cyborg, Beastboy, and Starfire sat on the couch, watching him discreetly. He took a swig from his soda and the other three looked at each other, nodding as they got ready to enact their plan.

"Gee oh boy, I wonder what _Raven_ is doing? It sure is boring without her!" Cyborg said.

Robin didn't look over, but the other Titans did notice his foot as it started to tap.

"Yes, I do miss meditating with her and doing the hanging out!" Starfire said, and Robin's foot started tapping faster, and they could just barely see his jaw clench.

" _Speedy's_ probably keeping her plenty busy! They're- Ah!" Beastboy stopped when Robin turned on them, running over and jumping over the couch. "Wait, it was all their idea!"

Robin was about to send a call to Titans East, but turned around when Beastboy defended himself. " _What_ was their idea?" He asked, growling out the words between clenched teeth. He looked between them; Beastboy was terrified, Starfire looked slightly amused, and Cyborg was trying his hardest not to laugh.

"Dude, we all know you've got the hots for Raven." Cyborg said. He chuckled when Robin blushed straight through to his toes.

"I do not!" Robin protested.

"Sure, dude. That's why you didn't want Raven to go away, why you haven't talked about anything but Raven since she left, and why you get so upset whenever we mention Speedy." Beastboy counted off on his fingers the evidence against Robin.

"I haven't-"

"You are scared Speedy will steal her away from you!" Starfire raised a finger in the air.

"She's not mine!" Robin yelled.

"But you want her to be." Cyborg said nonchalantly.

"Yes!"

They all three smirked at him.

"I mean no! Argh, I don't know!" Robin turned towards the TV, running a hand through his air. Silence filled the room, and Beastboy, Starfire, and Cyborg shared congratulatory smiles.

"Look man…" Beastboy began.

"Don't worry about it!" Cyborg said.

"Raven will be back in a few days." Starfire consoled.

"And do you really think _Speedy_ is going to convince her of anything? Raven, the emotionally distant, the one who still doesn't like hanging out with us even though she's known us for years?" Beastboy asked.

"I…" Robin began, but trailed off. Beastboy had a point. Raven was still often alone in her room or not engaging in conversation when she was with the others.

"Like I said: Chillaaaax, man. She'll be back in a few days and you can ask her out then."

Robin's sputtering was drowned out by the sound of the TV turning on.

~Stressed~

Robin's communicator chirped, and he opened it. "Yo." He greeted Raven as he answered the call. "How are things at Titans East?"

"Almost completely healed." Raven said with a small note of pride and satisfaction in her voice.

"Does that mean you'll be coming home soon?" Robin asked, a tad too eagerly.

"Yep. Speedy'll have that cast for a few more weeks, but he won't be out of commission for months like he was originally going to be." Raven said. "I'm heading back tonight."

"Gotcha. See you soon." Robin said.

~Stressed~

If the first five days had felt long; they were _nothing_ compared to the last two Robin had to wait. Every five minutes he went to the roof in the off chance he'd see the T-Car racing across the land bridge to meet them, and then we he didn't see her he'd head down the elevator to the first floor in the off chance she'd pulled into the garage on his way to the roof and was heading up to meet them.

~Stressed~

It was the middle of the night but Robin was still awake, sitting in the common room. Raven said she'd be a little bit late coming back, but that had been hours ago. He was starting to get worried. Everyone else had gone to bed a little while earlier, but Robin had elected to stay up. With nothing more than his sheer willpower and a pot of coffee, he'd lasted until 2:34 in the morning.

The common room was pleasantly quiet. The only sounds were the humming of the refrigerator and the slight shuffling of cloth as Robin shifted on the couch. The common room was warm; Robin was starting to have trouble staying awake, regardless of the coffee. But he couldn't pass out yet. He was sure Raven would come here first; she'd probably want something to eat after two and half days of driving across the country.

The door to the common room opened, and Robin stood up and turned around.

"What are you doing up so late?" Her voice called out quietly, as though she were afraid she'd wake the others. He didn't answer. He continued striding towards her, slowing as he got closer. He finally stopped when he was just a few inches away from her. "Robin?" She asked quietly, eyebrows raised as she looked up into his masked eyes.

She gasped slightly when Robin pulled her into a hug. Though the motion was quick and his grasp was strong, he was incredibly gentle. "I missed you." He admitted. His arms settled around her waist, and he let out quiet sigh as he relaxed, as though some pain he'd been dealing with had just suddenly vanished.

Raven returned the hug once her initial shock had worn off. She wrapped her arms around his neck, leaning her head against her chest and closing her eyes. She could feel herself leaning into his warmth, not noticing how cold she'd been before (she blamed the air conditioning in the T-Car). "I missed you, too." After a few minutes, Raven pulled away. "C'mon, it's late. We should get to bed; we have to get up early." She turned and started walking away.

"Hm? Why?" Robin asked, confused.

"You said you'd watch the sunrise with me, remember?" She turned slightly to face him.

Robin smiled. It seemed he'd already asked her out without even realizing it.

~Stressed~

A/N

I make no promises, but there may be a second chapter from Raven's perspective. No promises.

Man, I should really try and broaden my horizons as a writer. All I write is fluff.


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